The Manufactory
The Manufactory (formerly known as Padfield) is a Post-War industrial centre in the inner west of Sydney, New South Wales. It is known around Sydney as one of the major industrial areas, yet its pacifistic leadership has prevented it from delving into the realm of firearm or ammunition production. History Early Years Before the war, the suburb of Padstow was a small industrial area. Housing numerous small-scale production areas, the area produced a wide range of goods: cheap radios, furniture, military radio components, etc. These goods were used across the state and exported overseas. However, without any major brands such as RobCo or Chrysler, the area was spared the direct wrath of the bombs. The panic and abandonment of Sydney immediately Post-War did take its toll, but for the most part, the workshops and small factories survived in good condition. The resettlement of Sydney in the late 2100s saw Padstow occupied briefly. Settlers arriving from the Blue Mountains and Western Suburbs first established homes in the area in the 2210s, with small farms and groups appearing along the former A6. However, the decaying industrial equipment and supplies had taken their toll on the area: groundwater from the Georges River proved to be filled with radioactive particles and toxic heavy metals. With the whole city to settle, many moved on from the area, seeking greener pastures (or rather, less radioactively green pastures). Despite this, a good number of settlers, with homes and farms already established, remained in the area, and traders continued to pay the area visits. The true creation of the Manufactory stemmed from the greater human habitation of other regions of the city. As the population grew and spread, valuable and necessary scrap began to run dry. Supermarkets held less and less food and water, hospitals and clinics held less medical supplies, and army depots held fewer weapons and ammunition. With constant demand, especially for metallic goods, artisans appearing. Makeshift guns, poorly reloaded bullets, and roughly welded plate metal soon appeared. Pre-War machinery became worth its weight in gold, and persons with industrial knowledge became the most sought-after people in the Wasteland. The small manufacturing areas in Padstow managed to survive the mad rushes for equipment. Outside parties tore up RobCo, APR, and Med-Tek facilities, searching for anything that could be of value. In Padstow, the closely linked farmers, ranchers and small-time traders worked together to revitalise the necessary industrial processes: building materials, furniture, tools, etc. A scrap yard provided the necessary raw material and a makeshift, Frankenstein-esque forge allowed this material to create metal braces, steel walls, and hammers and nails. The community was close and proved to be efficient, effective craftsmen. Growth of an Enterprise Padfield, as the area was known after the War, was a small and remote area, and would have remained as such if not for two factors occurring in combination. Before the War, Australia was a massive exporter of both raw and processed metals. Sydney, Brisbane and Perth were all major ports, and saw a constant export of material, right up until the bombs dropped. This left large amounts of perfectly good metal simply lying in shipping containers at Botany Bay, waiting for human use. The other major factor in the birth of the Manufactory was the revitalisation of Sydney's maritime culture. Shipping up rivers and across the Harbour had long since been the most efficient way of transporting goods around Sydney, and increased human settlement and trade caused this to take off again. Small settlements around Circular Quay, North Sydney, and Birchgrove began to refurbish boats in the 2220s and most groups saw them as essential to a functional and fruitful existence. Even slavers like the Capitans refurbished and made use of Pre-War fishing boats. In the winter of 2236, scavengers from Padfield were exploring the Pre-War shipping port of Botany Bay when they stumbled upon the mineral wealth present. Joseph Clark, a well-respected member of the community, presented the idea of using this mineral wealth to create a sturdier, practically scratch-built ship, ideal for the Post-Apocalyptic seas. His ideas gained a lot of traction and quickly brahmins were dragging back massive containers full of iron, steel and nickel ingots. This raw material fueled larger forges, bigger moulds, and new creations, bringing in traders and migrants. By 2240, the population had tripled, and it was well known around Sydney as a trustworthy producer of spare parts and metal goods. Yet, the growth of such a rich, successful settlement attracted raiders and other unsavoury types. Padfield previously had little to do with raiders or slavers, with little of value in the area for those groups to want. If raiders showed up, they were chemmed out and ineffective and could be dealt with by the small militia in town. Its rapid growth attracted droves of raiders, hoping to make easy caps. The town militia beat back the smaller groups, but as larger and more well-armed gangs arrived, the fights became more difficult and more bloody. As a defence mechanism, construction of a large steel wall began in 2250. The Manufactory The Manufactory was officially founded on 8th December 2260 with the completion of the Wall. Gates into the settlement and shipments coming out of it were marked with THE MANUFACTORY in large, white stencils. Clark, having been instrumental in the success and growth of the settlement, the leader, representing it with other settlements. Caravans began to arrive, dealing with the settlement's traders and bringing wealth to both parties. The wall acted as a solid deterrent to any raiders, and the Manufactory grew peacefully, producing numerous metal goods. One market the Manufactory did not get into was weapons, armour or ammunition. Clark, while not opposed to violence entirely, thought that the gunsmiths and handloaders around Sydney were the primary cause of bloodshed - a raider-smith complex if you will. While this was seen as a poor choice, the wealth brought in by the civilian goods was more than enough to support the settlement. However, as the settlement grew (and raider attacks grew again more dangerous), this idea was reviewed. Many from the Labourer's Union (a loose coalition of various influential mill workers) have made demands in recent days to begin production of firearms, ammunition and armour. So far, these requests have been turned down cordially. Government Despite its rapid growth in both population and wealth, the Manufactory has not yet adopted its government to fit. No formal system of government exists in the settlement; instead, the authority based system present in almost all settlements still prevails in the Manufactory. Clark's power stems from his authority as the creator of the Manufactory and his relationships with the caravaneers and the industrial workers. However, his failing health brings up questions of his successor and the direction the settlement will take in future. There are two likely candidates: Eliza Furawood and Crush. Eliza Furawood is one of the original inhabitants of Padfield - though only technically. A part-time scavenger and trader, Furawood roamed the ruins of Sydney from the Coathanger to Botany Bay. She's been one of the primary supporters of Clark's pacifistic production policy and has worked hard with caravans and settlements to assure that this can support the Manufactory. Like Clark, she doesn't officially represent the Manufactory's traders or trade deals but in every other manner, her word is that of God. In opposition to Furawood's peaceful demeanour, the Labourer's Union firey demands could tear the manufactory in an entirely new direction. The Union - headed up by a ghoul by the name of Crush - is a rough coalition of various representatives of the various production facilities in the settlement. Rough is a key word here; the Union has the potential to be the biggest influencer in the policy yet fails to capitalise on this due to a difference in opinion. The few common ideas across the Union are the safety of the Workers and Labourers from both internal and external threats and the maintenance of the rights of the workers. It's unknown who will succeed Clark when he passes. Whether it will be Furawood and the traders or Crush and the Union, only time will tell. Whichever party gains influence will likely thoroughly change the culture and lives of those who call the Manufactory home immeasurably. Population The population of the Manufactory is primarily composed of free, voluntary labourers. Almost 500 settles, wastelanders and merchants call the Manufactory home, and this is divided into two primary groups: the traders and the labourers. The traders consist of approximately 90 individuals, subdivided into 30 traders and 60 full-time militia. The traders themselves include caravaneers, secretaries, guards and warehouse workers. The labourers are the workers of the various mills in the Manufactory and have a total number of around 400. This group is also subdivided, this time into three: the Melters, the Forgers and the Smiths. The Melters include 110 labourers who work on the forges, melting down various metals into whatever is required of the Forgers and the Smiths. The Forgers build large, simple objects, including replacement shipping parts, steel plates, or building parts. The Smiths craft more complicated objects, like furniture, spare parts and sometimes even firearms. The labourers work in the mills in the north of the settlement and live in the Pre-War suburbs in the south. As the settlement has grown, the demand for workers and labourers has grown, especially in dangerous groups like the Melters. Unsafe living conditions have decreased migration, and birth rates have declined in the primarily male population. Clark, seeing the problems an aged population would cause to production, has struck a deal with the Capitans to "provide 70 units of Meat to the Undersigned every financial year". This translates to a growth of 70 slaves every year. When in the Manufactory, slaves function similarly to labourers and have equal rights. However, slaves cannot leave the settlement and must work in their assigned section. This has caused resentment towards traders and Clark among some, who many saw as a 'fat cat', profiting from the labour of others. Economy The Manufactory's primary economic livelihood is - surprise, surprise - its metal working. The settlement produces various civilian metal goods, including electrical, telegraph and telephone wiring, construction materials, and multi-use metal plates. Manufactory-crafted metals have built settlement walls, refurbished pirate ships, and, disappointingly to Clark, melted back down into guns and bullets. Traders constantly come and go from the Manufactory's market, giving the settlement a bustling and vibrant feeling. The Manufactory also exports a small amount of clean water, due to its highly efficient water purifiers on the Georges River. Not everything can be produced by the Manufactory. The industrial settlement is a big importer of foodstuffs from outside its territory (though it does hold a sizeable portion of grazing land for merchant Brahmins), including grains, meats, and vegetables. Almost 5 tons of food come into the settlement every month, transported by dozens of caravaneers. Another major import is weapons, ammunition and armour. The Manufactory has a sizeable militia and equips them with Pre-War military equipment. This primarily comes from other settlements in exchange for metal products, but some equipment is bought straight from caravans like Gary's Guns and Grenades. Approximately 3% of the Manufactory's income goes towards the Capitans, who provide slaves to the Manufactory. In exchange for the pick of fresh captures, the Manufactory provides spare parts to repair fortifications and ships. However, they still deny any demands by the Capitans to provide guns or ammunition to the slavers. Relationships The Manufactory is the largest industrial settlement in Sydney and hundreds of traders and settlers pass through its doors every day. Traders are desperate to get material from and build trade relationships with the settlement. The Capitans The Capitans are a successful and professional slaver company from the south of Sydney. The Manufactory's demand for labour has pushed them towards the company and they have a fruitful, if reluctant, trade relationship. The Capitans supply the Manufactory with 70 slaves a year, while the Manufactory provides the slavers with spare parts for their slaving fleet and replacement parts for their defences. Gary's Guns and Grenades Gary's Guns and Grenades is a small gun merchant, providing quality firearms to small settlements. The caravan has long since traded with the manufactory and over the 40 years of business, they have built a close, trusting relationship. Gary is the principal supplier of weapons and ammunition to the Manufactory Guards. Category:Communities Category:New South Wales Category:Places